Hawley Offers Schools “Virtual Tour”

March 13, 2009

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R, I, C – Batavia) is now offering schools a “virtual tour” of Albany as part of his outreach program. The virtual tour includes the Assemblyman visiting students in the classroom to present a photographic slide show of the State Capitol and to discuss the legislative process.

“One of my favorite parts about going to Albany is welcoming the many students and school groups that come to visit our state capital to learn about the legislative process. Unfortunately, because of our economic times, many groups simply cannot afford to make the trip this year. To continue this tradition at no cost to schools, my staff and I came up with the idea of doing a ‘virtual tour’ in the classroom. The response has already been phenomenal and I am welcoming all schools to include this program as part of their curriculum,” said the Assemblyman.

The first presentation was given today at Albion Middle School (pictured above), and will be followed by another presentation next week at Medina Middle School. The presentations can be customized to accommodate different subject areas. For example, the presentation at Albion Middle School was given in an English class and also included co-presenter State Senator George Maziarz.

Hawley stated, “Because there is so much that our capital offers, from natural science to government to history, there are many ways this presentation can be given. It’s a new way to get students excited about learning and it is free, which will help parents and schools.”

In addition, Hawley’s office will provide teachers with a companion teacher’s guide, created by the State Office of General Services. The teacher’s guide includes a variety of projects and teaching lessons to supplement the presentation. Any school or teacher that is interested in bringing the outreach program to their class should reach out to Assemblyman Hawley’s district office by calling (585) 589-5780.